Sliding rail receiving positioning structure

ABSTRACT

A sliding rail receiving and positioning structure includes a sliding rail assembly having a bottom rail and a top rail mounted in the bottom rail and movable relative to the bottom rail between a received position and an extended position, and a positioning device having a first positioning portion affixed to one end of the bottom rail on the inside and a second positioning portion kept in alignment with the top rail and adapted for securing the top rail in the received position after movement of the top rail into the inside of the bottom rail, prohibiting the sliding box that is affixed to the top rail from being forced by its weight to move away from the received position accidentally.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sliding rail assembly for drawer and more particularly, to a sliding rail receiving positioning structure, which assures positive positioning when the sliding rail assembly is received.

2. Description of the Related Art

Sliding rail assemblies are intensively used with sliding boxes and drawers in storage cabinet and furniture for storing things for allowing the sliding boxes or drawers to be smoothly moved between the received position and the extended position. To ensure positive positioning in the received position, a sliding rail assembly is known comprising a spring member, a retaining member pivotally mounted in the intermediate rail and supported on the spring member, and a stop block affixed to the outer rail. The retaining member is forced by the spring member to stop against the stop block, avoiding the intermediate rail from moving into the inside of the outer rail freely. When pushing in the inner rail, the inner end of the inner rail will be stopped against the retaining member to bias the retaining member away from the stop block, allowing the intermediate rail to be received into the inside of the outer rail. When the retaining member is in the released position, the spring member is elastically deformed. When the pressure of the inner rail is released from the retaining member, the spring member immediately returns the retaining member to its former position.

The aforesaid sliding rail assembly positioning structure consists of many component parts, increasing the cost and lowering the yield. Further, it requires much time and labor to complete the installation procedure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a sliding rail receiving positioning structure, which prohibits the sliding box that is affixed to the top rail of the sliding rail assembly from being forced by its weight to move away from the received position accidentally.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a sliding rail receiving positioning structure comprises a sliding rail assembly and a positioning device. The sliding rail assembly comprises a bottom rail, and a top rail mounted in the bottom rail and movable relative to the bottom rail between a received position and an extended position. The positioning device comprises a first positioning portion affixed to one end of the bottom rail on the inside, and a second positioning portion kept in alignment with the top rail and adapted for securing the top rail in the received position after movement of the top rail into the inside of the bottom rail

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a sliding rail receiving positioning structure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the sliding rail receiving positioning structure in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation in an enlarged scale of a part of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cutaway view of a sliding rail receiving positioning structure in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cutaway view of a part of the sliding rail receiving positioning structure in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a sliding rail receiving positioning structure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a sliding rail assembly 1 and a positioning device 2.

The sliding rail assembly 1 includes a bottom rail 11, a top rail 12, an intermediate rail 13 and a fastening member 14. The top rail 12 is mounted in the top side of the bottom rail 11. The intermediate rail 13 is mounted in between the bottom rail 11 and the top rail 12, having two coupling portions 131 longitudinally arranged at two opposite sides thereof and respectively slidably coupled to the bottom rail 11 and the top rail 12 such that the top rail 12 and the intermediate rail 13 are movable between an extended position and a received position in the same direction. The bottom rail 11 has a through hole 111 on the bottom side. The top rail 12 has raised positioning spots 121 bilaterally located on the inside.

The positioning member 2 comprises a first positioning portion 21 and a second positioning portion 22 respectively disposed at two opposing sides, a positioning hole 211 located on the bottom side of the first positioning portion 21 and two friction arms 221 extended from the second positioning portion 22 at two opposite sides. Each friction arm 221 has two transverse ribs 2211 that are spaced apart in a parallel manner.

The positioning member 2 is fastened to the sliding rail assembly 1 by: inserting the first positioning portion 21 of the positioning member 2 into one end of the bottom rail 11 remote from the extending direction of the intermediate rail 13 along which the intermediate rail 13 is movable out of the bottom rail 11 to keep the positioning hole 211 of the first positioning portion 21 in alignment with the through hole 111 of the bottom rail 11 and then inserting the fastening member 14 through the through hole 11 and the positioning hole 211 to affix the first positioning portion 21 of the positioning member 2 to the bottom rail 11 and to keep the second positioning portion 22 in alignment with the top rail 12.

When in use, pull the top rail 12 outwardly along the coupling portion 131 of the intermediate rail 13. When continuously pulling the top rail 12 after the top rail 12 has been fully extended out of the intermediate rail 13, the intermediate rail 13 will be carried by the top rail 12 out of the bottom rail 11. When pushing back the top rail 12, the top rail 12 will be received in the intermediate rail 13 and then the top rail 12 and the intermediate rail 13 will be received in the bottom rail 11. During this movement of the top rail 12, the second positioning portion 22 will enter one end of the top rail 12 to force the transverse ribs 2211 of the friction arms 221 into friction engagement with the top rail 12, causing the two friction arms 221 to be elastically deformed and stopped against the inside wall of the top rail 12, and therefore the top rail 12 is secured to the second positioning portion 22. Further, during movement of the top rail 12, the raised positioning spots 121 of the top rail 12 will be moved into the space between two transverse ribs 2211 of each of the friction arms 221 of the second positioning portion 22 of the positioning member 2. Before entering the space between the two transverse ribs 2211 of each of the friction arms 221 of the second positioning portion 22 of the positioning member 2, the raised positioning spots 121 will push one respective transverse rib 2211, enhancing deformation of the respective friction arms 221. When each raised positioning spot 121 moved over one respective transverse rib 2211 into the space between the two corresponding transverse ribs 2211, the friction arms 221 immediately return to their former shape subject to the effect of their elastic material property. Subject to the matching operation between the raised positioning spots 121 and the transverse ribs 2211, the user knows whether or not the sliding rail assembly 1 has been well received when moving the top rail 12 and the intermediate rail 13 into the bottom rail 11.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate a sliding rail receiving positioning structure in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. Similar to the aforesaid first embodiment, this second embodiment comprises a sliding rail assembly 1 and a positioning device 2.

The sliding rail assembly 1 comprises a bottom rail 11, a top rail 12 and a positioning rod 15. The top rail 12 is mounted in the bottom rail 11 at the top and axially movable in and out of the bottom rail 11 between a received position and an extended position. The positioning rod 15 is mounted in one end of the top rail 12 remote from the bottom rail 11.

The positioning member 2 comprises a first positioning portion 21 and a second positioning portion 22 respectively disposed at two opposing sides, and two friction arms 221 located on the second positioning portion 22 at two opposite sides. Each friction arm 221 has a retaining portion 2212 protruded from an inner side thereof.

The positioning member 2 is fastened to the sliding rail assembly 1. During installation, the first positioning portion 21 of the positioning member 2 is affixed to one end of the bottom rail 11 adjacent to the extending direction of the intermediate rail 13 along which the intermediate rail 13 is movable out of the bottom rail 11 to keep the second positioning portion 22 in alignment with the top rail 12.

When in use, the top rail 12 can be moved relative to the bottom rail 11 between the extended position and the received position. When receiving the top rail 12 in the bottom rail 11, the positioning rod 15 will be moved into the space between the two friction arms 221 of the second positioning portion 22 of the positioning member 2. Before entering the space between the two friction arms 221, the positioning rod 15 will be forced against the retaining portions 2212 of the friction arms 221 to expand the friction arms 221 elastically. After the positioning rod 15 passed over the retaining portions 2212 of the friction arms 221 into the space between the two friction arms 221, the two friction arms 221 immediately return to their former shape subject to the effect of their elastic material property, causing the positioning rod 15 to be held in position by the retaining portions 2212. Subject to the matching operation between the retaining portions 2212 and the positioning rod 15, the user knows whether or not the sliding rail assembly 1 has been well received in the received position.

In conclusion, the invention provides advantages over the prior art design subject to the installation of the positioning member 2 in the sliding rail assembly 1. After installation of the top rail 12 in a sliding box, the positioning member 2 can secure the sliding rail assembly 1 in the received position positively, prohibiting the sliding box from being forced by its gravity weight to move out of the received position accidentally when the furniture carrying the sliding box is tilted. Further, the design of the present invention facilitates fabrication and installation of the sliding rail assembly, saving much sliding rail assembly fabrication labor and time.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A sliding rail receiving and positioning structure, comprising: a sliding rail assembly, said sliding rail assembly comprising a bottom rail and a top rail mounted in said bottom rail and axially movable in and out of said bottom rail between a received position and an extended position; and a positioning device, said positioning device comprising a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion, said first positioning portion being affixed to one end of said bottom rail on the inside, said second positioning portion being kept in alignment with said top rail for adapted for securing said top rail in the received position after movement of said top rail into the inside of said bottom rail.
 2. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first positioning portion is affixed to one end of said bottom rail remote from the extending direction of said top rail along which said top rail is movable out of said bottom rail.
 3. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sliding rail assembly further comprises an intermediate rail set in between and axially slidable relative to said bottom rail and said top rail, said intermediate rail having two coupling portions longitudinally arranged at two opposite sides thereof and respectively slidably coupled to said bottom rail and said top rail in such a manner that said top rail is axially movable in and out of said intermediate rail and axially movable with said intermediate rail in and out of said bottom rail.
 4. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first positioning portion comprises a positioning hole located on a bottom side thereof; said bottom rail comprises a through hole; said sliding rail assembly further comprises a fastening member mounted in said through hole and fastened to said positioning hole to affix said positioning device to said bottom rail.
 5. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said positioning device further comprises two friction arms extended from two sides of said second positioning portion, each said friction arm having two transverse ribs spaced apart in a parallel manner for friction engagement with said top rail.
 6. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein said top rail comprises two raised positioning spots for positioning in between the two transverse ribs at each said friction arm.
 7. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first positioning portion is affixed to one end of said bottom rail adjacent to the extending direction of said top rail along which said top rail is movable out of said bottom rail; said positioning device further comprises two friction arms extended from two sides of said second positioning portion; said sliding rail assembly further comprises a positioning rod fixedly mounted in one end of said top rail remote from said top rail and adapted for positioning in between said friction arms of said positioning device to secure said top rail in the received position inside said bottom rail.
 8. The sliding rail receiving and positioning structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein each raid friction arm comprises a retaining portion protruded from an inner side thereof. 